Patrick Phelan (composer)
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Patrick "Pat" Phelan (born 1970), is a respected veteran video game audio composer, manager, and producer.
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[edit] Background
At the age of 11, Phelan's parents presented him with a Commodore VIC-20. He learnt how to program and began to write games. At age 13, he got his first synthesizer, a Korg MS20 and learning how to program the MS20’s complex patch bay gave him his grounding in understanding the fundamentals of sound synthesis.
A few years later, he got a Commodore 64. Soon there was a confluence between his gaming obsession his love for sound and music. Influenced by Rob Hubbard and Ben Daglish, Phelan began to write music specifically for games. When he progressed to the Atari ST, Phelan began collecting keyboards and using the ST's built-in MIDI connectors, started to sequence complex arrangements, classical scores as well as audio for high-powered games.
In the early 1990's, Phelan joined Gremlin Graphics, and was involved in the development of the classic, Zool. Later on, he took on other responsibilities and managed the audio department before eventually moving into more senior creative roles.
[edit] Games Developed
Some of the games Phelan helped develop include:
- Spooks;
- Micro Machines;
- Slam Tennis;
- Alone in the Dark;
- UEFA Challenge;
- Soulbringer;
- Hardwar;
- N20;
- Actua Soccer Series;
- Judge Dredd;
- Realms of the Haunting;
- Normality;
- Loaded;
- Slipstream 5000;
- Whiplash (game);
- K240;
- Retribution (game);
- Litil Divil;
- Lotus (computer games);
- Zool; and
- the Premier Manager series.
[edit] Current status
Phelan founded Full Circle Audio to provide audio solutions for games. He now writes music for commercials, sound design for TV and also provides consultancy and game design services.
Phelan, a member of TIGA (The Independent Game developers Association) and Gamerepublic (an Independent Trade Alliance), lives in England with his wife Christine and dog Jasmine.